Siena students latest to get access to CDTA system

Siena College on Monday became the seventh Capital Region school to join CDTA’s universal access program, where students get access to the transit authority’s route system.

Area students whose schools participate in the program now make up 15 percent, or 2 million, of CDTA’s 15 million annual riders, said Carm Basile, the authority’s chief executive officer.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time,” he said Monday morning, following a press conference on the Siena campus. “It started with RPI and UAlbany — they’re the pillars. Now we’re systematically adding each school.”

The time is right for such a move, he added.

“The younger generation seems to be more in tune with the environment, sustainability, and smart growth,” he added. “This generation (is) willing to practice what they preach.”

And then there’s the economic argument. The American Public Transit Association estimates it can cost $8,000 to $10,000 a year to own, maintain and operate a car. Building and maintaining a parking space on campus, said Siena College President Father Kevin Mullen, costs “in the thousands of dollars.”

Paying a negotiated fee to give its students access to the CDTA system, as Siena and the six other schools are doing, can be far less expensive.

CDTA, as part of its route restructuring, is adding service along Route 9 in front of the campus, connecting it to Latham Farms, where it is developing a “hub” of sorts that will give students access to Schenectady, Troy and Albany.

With gasoline at $4 a gallon, even students with cars may find the bus more appropriate for certain trips.

“It will help all students, especially first-year students who are not allowed to have cars on campus, those who are struggling to find transportation to internships and jobs, and commuters who are hooping to save money on gas,” said Cassandra Jane Werking, the Siena student senate president.

As a bus pulled away with Siena students on it, Basile said the authority hopes to build on these relationships, adding service as demand grows.

JF, did you not read the article? It specifically states “Paying a negotiated fee to give its students access to the CDTA system”. That does not look like free to me. And I’d rather see CDTA do more like this than try to raise fares again

no i read the article. But also did my research. How much money do you think cdta gets in state subsides every year? If they didn’t they’d be out of business.Whats the negotiated fee at UA? Same. Students pay 0. The cost goes into tuition which comes back to the taxpayer as an increase. So you and me get to pay for Long island kids to go to the mall. Thats assuming you are employed. Which may be a large assumption

JF, drivers get tons of money in state, local and federal subsidies as well. Additionally, students pay for this service through activity fees. That’s where the fees paid to CDTA for this come from, not the state.

@Ann, #8:
I’m almost exclusively a bus user, but don’t think buses should be free for anyone; there should be a user fee involved; and of course Siena students are paying user fees through their student activity fees. But no one should get “a free ride”.

@JF:
Buses, even half full ones, put less “stress” on the infrastructure than do all the private cars, especially single-occupant cars. Look at a 50 passenger bus – the room it takes up on the road, the fuel it burns, and compare that to the same 50 passengers in 1 person – per – car lines during morning or evening commute.

@Ann, #1:
if it was rush hour, I’m SURE the bus caught up with (stopped) traffic ahead of it in no time at all. When you declare how far you think bus passengers should have to walk to get to a bus stop, please use those same standards to how far you think parking should be from your home / work / church / or shop.